1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a cap for a liquid container, and more particularly to a cap containing a liquid-dissolvable additive within the cap for dissolving in liquid in the container.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is known to combine one material with another to dissolve the first in the second. This can be accomplished in an open or closed vessel. It is often undesirable manually to combine materials when there is a possibility that the person combining the materials could come into contact with one or both materials. The reason given in the prior art for this undesirability is that the materials may be toxic or otherwise harmful to the person combining, or the materials may be sanitary, and contact by the person would contaminate the materials. Furthermore, mixing two materials is inconvenient, especially if one of the containers has a small opening, such as on a drink bottle, which makes pouring the additive into the container difficult.
It is conventionally known to place a liquid in a container and place a second material, whether liquid or particulate, in the lid for that container. Upon taking some step, such as actuating a mechanism in the lid, the person combining the materials exposes the material in the lid to the liquid in the container, thereby permitting mixing of the two. In many such conventional devices, the steps required to mix are complex, and are not on a simple, convenient device. Furthermore, complete separation of the ingredients prior to mixing is not always convenient or necessary.
Therefore, the need exists for a device that permits a user to combine an additive with a liquid in such a way that is simple and convenient to execute, inexpensive to manufacture, and provides some level of separation between the user and the materials to be combined prior to combination. Such a structure would be easily used by anyone of virtually any age and physical ability, and would not involve any complex assembly or disassembly.
The invention is a cap for mounting on a liquid container. The cap comprises a sidewall having an inwardly facing surface defining an interior chamber. The sidewall also has an outwardly facing surface, and a receiving end adapted to receive a portion of the liquid container. The receiving end has an opening to the chamber for placing the chamber in fluid communication with liquid in the liquid container. A top end of the sidewall is opposite the receiving end.
A liquid-dissolvable body is mounted within the chamber between the receiving end and the top end. At least part of the liquid-dissolvable body is in fluid communication with the chamber so that liquid from the liquid container that is poured into the chamber contacts the body and at least partially dissolves the body in the liquid.
When the cap is mounted on a liquid container, such as by screwing it onto a conventional water bottle, the water in the bottle dissolves the liquid-dissolvable body, which can be an additive such as fluoride, vitamins, flavoring, etc. The water, thereafter containing the additive, can be consumed so as to conveniently gain the benefit of the additive.
In a preferred embodiment, the sidewall further comprises an inner wall and an outer wall spaced apart forming at least one cavity therebetween. The liquid-dissolvable body abuts the inner wall and is interposed between the chamber and the cavity. There are also fluid passageways extending through the inner wall between the cavity and the chamber. The fluid passageways are blocked by the liquid-dissolvable body abutting the inner wall at the fluid passageways until the blocking part of the body dissolves. The body thereby restricts fluid flow from the chamber to the cavity until after a passageway-blocking portion of the body is dissolved. If the body contains a colored additive, the fact of the additive""s dissolution in the liquid will be apparent from the outside of the cap, because the colored water will be visible in the cap""s cavity.